


Secrets Collecting Dust

by powerwithapen



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Coming Out, Epiphanies, F/M, Fluff, M/M, the band is just chilling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:41:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28396347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/powerwithapen/pseuds/powerwithapen
Summary: Julie and the Phantoms are hanging out in the garage, when Alex suddenly asks what happened to his favorite band.Secrets are revealed.*This is past Luke/Alex, and pre Julie/Luke
Relationships: Alex Mercer/Luke Patterson (Julie and The Phantoms), Julie Molina/Luke Patterson
Comments: 7
Kudos: 176





	Secrets Collecting Dust

**Author's Note:**

> Title is form Coming Clean by Green Day
> 
> Okay, so full disclaimer: I haven't written anything in like years, so I might be a bit rusty. But i'm back at it and have one or two stories (my brain hasn't really decided if they should be two separate stories or come together as one giant), so there might be more coming soon :)
> 
> This is technically a part of a larger story I'm writing, but I thought it made sense on it's own too, so here it is :)

* * *

They're in the garage having a pseudo jam session, which mostly just means they're all lost in their own thoughts. Julie and Luke both have their own notebooks out, scribbling down lines at random intervals and scratching out just as many. Luke has his acoustic out and occasionally plays a chord or two. Reggie plays soft chords on his bass which is not plugged in to anything.

Alex is doing the same, looking so lost in thought Julie suspects he's not even aware he's playing at all. Eventually he starts playing something with an actual beat that sounds like a song. That seems to shake both Alex and Reggie out of their thoughts, and Reggie joins in on the song so flawlessly it's clear that's a song they've played a lot. Reggie gives Alex a knowing smile, but doesn't say anything.

Luke raises his head from where it's buried in his notebook and starts smiling brightly enough that his entire body almost seems to glow – there's a glint in his eye too.

“Is that –“ Luke doesn't get to finish his sentence before Alex efficiently shuts him up with just a stern look. Luke raises his hands in the universal sign of an apology. Alex stops playing, and asks Julie “hey, what happened to Green Day?”

“I don't know.” Julie shrugs. “The usual rock stuff? Some excessive drinking, some smashed guitars on stage. Why?”

“So, they stayed active a while, then?” Alex asks.

“Yeah, they're kinda well known so they've stayed active a while, some people consider them to be sort of legends. I think they actually released an album not too long ago,” Julie pauses and pulls out her phone for a quick google search. “Yup, latest album came out in 2020,” she finishes cheerfully.

Alex makes a sound somewhere between a squeal and choking.

Julie turns to Luke and asks “what's up with Alex?”

“Green Day was, like, his favorite band back in the 90s. He played Dookie on repeat since it came out.”

“Dude, that's your fault,” Reggie teases. “You're the one who _had_ to get your boyfriend the album the day it came out.”

“That's was a perfect valentine's gift, and you know it!” Luke protests.

Alex gives a shrug, but has to agree with Luke, because, yeah, it _definitely_ was.

“Made him come out to his parents too,” Reggie informs Julie.

“Yeah, and you saw how well _that_ went,” Alex says, voice practically dripping with sarcasm.

“Wait, hold up,” Julie says, lifting a hand as if it would actually stop the conversation, “boyfriend? You guys dated?”

“Unfortunately,” Alex mutters.

“Hey!” Luke exclaims indignantly, “I am a _treasure_. You love me.”

“Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that.”

“Oh my god, how did I not see this before?” Julie asks, mostly to herself, “You totally have old-supportive-exes vibes.”

“Anyways,” Alex says, clearing his throat, “I know Coming Clean isn't really about coming out or anything, but it just really resonated with me, I guess. I mean, even the age was almost spot on.”

“Actually,” Julie says, “I think it is. The lead singer came out as bisexual a long time ago, I think in the 90s?”

“He did what now?” Alex asks stunned.

Julie pulls out her phone again and quickly typed in something. “In '95 actually. I guess he came out right after you guys died, huh?”

“Cool cool cool,” Reggie says, “what's bisexual?”

“It's when you like both girls and boys,” Julie explains. “Well technically two genders, but then a lot of people tend to call it pansexual. But they're greatly overlapping terms, so… Aaaand I guess that's a conversation for another day. You guys look really confused,” Julie laughs.

“Wait, you can _do_ that?” Reggie asks, his eyebrows shooting up higher than Julie has ever seen them. On anyone.

He looked ridiculous.

“Obviously,” Luke and Julie reply at the same time. They look at each other, giving the other a small smile.

“A lot has happened since ´95, huh?” Julie questions.

“Huh,” Reggie huffs, almost more to his bass than the rest of the room, looking deep in thought.

“Did he just…? Julie whispers, leaning into Luke. _Have an epiphany,_ they seem to finish. Luke nods.

“Just go with it,” Luke says and gives Julie a wink. Julie's knees go a little weak, but that's nobody's business but hers. And maybe Flynn's.

“So, the song you guys started playing was Coming Clean?» Julie asks, looking at Alex.

"Yeah."

"Okay, now I really wanna hear the Sunset Curve version of it. Can I?"

"Uhm," Alex looks around at the guys, who are both nodding. "Yeah, okay."

"Let me just grab my electric," Luke says and quickly does so. “Okay, ready?”

“Yeah,” Alex and Reggie say at the same time, and Alex starts counting them in.

Surprisingly – or, well, maybe not since it's _his_ favorite – Alex is the one singing this time.

_Seventeen, and strung out on confusion_

_Trapped inside a role of disillusion_

_I´ve found out what it takes to be a man_

_Well, mom and dad´ll never understand_

_Secrets collecting dust, but never forget_

_Skeletons come to life in my closet_

_I´ve found out what it takes to be a man_

_Well, mom and dad they´ll never understand_

_What´s happening to me_

_Seventeen, and coming clean for the first time_

_I finally figured out myself for the first time_

_I´ve found out what it takes to be a man_

_Well, mom and dad they´ll never understand_

_What´s happening to me_


End file.
